Marc VDS' Sam Lowes returns to Motorland Aragon this weekend confident after a near-podium at his home race and targeting more this time out.

The undulating and technical Spanish layout was the scene of a sensational double win for Lowes in 2020 and the Englishman is eager to capture more glory at one of his favourite tracks on the World Championship calendar.

Lowes was completely untouchable in both Aragon rounds last year winning both races from pole position to become the first British rider to win three successive intermediate World Championship races since MotoGP Legend Phil Read in 1971.

The 30-year-old was also victorious from pole at Aragon in 2016 and was third in 2015 leaving him fired up and determined to stand on the top step of the podium again in Sunday’s 21-lap battle.

“I can’t wait to race in Aragon again after being strong in the last few races, in Austria and at home in Silverstone,” Lowes explained on Thursday. “Aragon is a track that I really enjoy and the double win last year means I’ve got lots of nice memories. Every year is different, and it is never easy at this level, and I just need to work hard to give myself the best possible chance on Sunday. I feel like we’ve made some positive steps with the bike recently and I can’t wait to get going in Free Practice on Friday and pushing hard to get that win.

“I've had some good rides here,” he continued. “I think there's quite a lot of corners where you brake in with angle and stopping the bike in this sort of style, I enter quite fast with that sort of style anyway, so very different character to like a standard stop hairpin for example. So, for me, I'm quite good in them sort of corners and I think there's quite a lot of them in Aragon so that suits me quite well.

:I’ve just always liked the track, you know what it's like, you get a few good results and then you have good confidence there, and as we know racing's a lot about the mental side and the confidence. I just look forward to coming here and it obviously suits my style.

“A run of fourth places is not terrible but you know sometimes the worst place to finish is fourth, just off the podium,” he said of his recent run of form.

“So it's always a difficult one, but it was needed. I had a bit of a blip with a couple of DNF's before the break and have been building back up. As always in this paddock, in this class, it's tight so we just need to come at a good time, approach this weekend, obviously we still need to work hard. It’s not a given, a good result, just because I was fast here last year. I still have to work hard.

“There's a few different things with the tyres but it's just come at a good time for me, it's a track that I like and given the confidence of them last couple of races, that small step, hopefully we can make that this weekend and spray some Champagne.”

Reflecting on his home GP, Lowes is pleased with his Silverstone performance despite missing being on the podium in front of his local support.

“I was happy. I was happy with how I rode. It's a track that I really, really like and obviously the home support and the people there gave me some added motivation, but I've never gone really really well there. I'm always missing something and it was the same again. I was real close but just missing that little, is like one-tenth, two-tenths, I was just missing it but I felt like I was riding well, felt like we were in the fight. Obviously Navarro came through at the end which is disappointing to miss the podium but I’ve taken a lot of confidence from that. I rode solid, enjoyed the race, I was up for the fight.

“Last couple of races I've got better starts and better first laps so that's something that we were working to improve and we have done, so now just need to keep that trend, get back on the podium and get the ball rolling again.”

Recent announcements see his current teammate, Augusto Fernandez, set for a move to KTM - with the Aki Ajo team - while Tony Arbolino joins Marc VDS, assumingly alongside Lowes for 2022 - although that has yet to be officially confirmed.

“Obviously in the championship that you ride in, you want to be on the best team and bike you can and I'm lucky obviously to be in such a great team,” Lowes explained on the subject.

“Augusto moving across to Aki's team, will be interesting to see how he gets on but in the end, in our class, I think he will be competitive like he is now. The target for everybody is to get in one of these teams so when you're in there, you have to work hard and earn your spot. I think it's really important, obviously the team make a massive difference and in a class that's so tight, even more so.

“He’s obviously having a difficult year, the last few races, especially the second half of the year so far.” he continued referring to Arbolino’s debut season in the intermediate class.

“Already in Le Mans I think he finished fourth or fifth and as a rookie was looking strong. I think when you've been successful in the Moto3 class, finishing runner-up last year, he's got a lot of people talking about him, a lot of, let's say ‘hype' in the paddock. That doesn't come from nowhere. Obviously he's a young, talented rider, a nice guy and I think in Moto2, you've seen obviously Fernandez jump up and do an amazing job but it does take a little bit of time. I think next year he will be definitely stronger.

“This winter, I know the team will help and also himself, he's going to train knowing what it's like in Moto2 whereas last year [he was] training thinking what it could be like. I think he'll make a good step next year, I think he's a great signing for the team, really important to have a good rider and good ambience, he seems really nice and I’m happy to welcome him to the team.”